Liquid distributor



Dec. 24, 1940. N, B, LUND 2,225,837

LIQUID DISTRIBUTOR Original Filed April 8, 1938 l 3 Sheets-Sheet l mhu.

Dec. 24, 1940. N. B. LUND 2,225,837

LIQUID DISTRIBUTOR Original Filed April 8, 1958 v5 Sheets-Sheet 2 D66. 24, 1940. N, B, LUND 2,225,837

LIQUID DISTRIBUTOR Original Filed April 8, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES LIQUID DISTRIBUTOR els B. Lund, Seaford, N. Y., assigner to The Dorr Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Original application April 8, 1938, Serial No.

200,940. 1939, Serial No. 273,290

3 Claims.

This is a division of my application, Ser. No. 200,940, filed April 8, 1938, which has to do with improvements in rotary reaction driven liquid distributors. This division is eiected because the parent application covers features relating substantially tothe liquid discharge and spray forming and guiding portions of the arm, whereas the present divisional application covers substantially improvements relating to a longitudinal andhorizontal partitioning of the distributor arms to create upper and lower longitudinal sections of which the upper one takes additional load when the lower one becomes overloaded. Y

This invention relates to distributors or dislseminating devices for spraying liquids such as sewage onto filter beds or the like.

More particularly it relates to the rotary type of distributor having radial distributing or spray arms and in a specific sense it contemplates improvements in the hydraulically-operated type of machine wherein rotation of the spray arms is produced by' the hydraulic reaction of the liquid emitted from orifices laterally along the radial arms or spray pipes carried by a suitable rotative supporting structure.

The object of this invention is the design of a liquid distributor that will require a relative minimum of hydraulic head for its operation and a relative minimum of vertical space to function with respect to the underlying filter bed.

Other objects are to provide an improved rotative distributor of sturdy, compact, well balanced and light-weight construction which is simple in its structural elements and economical to build. l

Another object is to provide a liquid distributing device with an improved construction and arrangement of radial spray arms or pipes that are economic and simple to build and highly eilicient in operation, and of particular advantage in the handling and distributing onto the filter bed of relatively high rates of liquid flow.

Another object is to provide spray arms or pipes for liquid distributors constructed and arranged to permit ready and substantially complete drainage of liquid from thearms.

A further object is the design of distributing arms that will handle relatively large flows of liquid while distributing the same uniformly and with a minimum of hydraulic head requirement over and onto the filter bed.

Anotherv object is to design a distributor in which the total weight of the arms plus the water load therein is a minimum,so that the ldevice will readily respond to hydraulic reaction.

Divided and this application May 12,

Still another object is to design a distributor which is flexible in operation within relatively wide load limits, that is to say which will operate under desirable and proper hydraulic iow conditions over a relatively wide range of varying loads at minimum respective heads.

In View of these objects. `the features of improvement within the scope of this invention are largely found in the construction, design, and in the peculiar improved functioning of the radial distributor arms.

Consequently, according to one feature a hollow .distributor arm is of horizontally-flattened or horizontally-elongated cross-section, and a horizontally spreading sheet-like stream of the liquid discharges along the length thereof and substantially from the lowest point of the crosssection, so that consequently there .is needed but relatively low hydraulic head for the proper hydraulic functioning of the distributor arm.

According to another feature, a sheet-like stream of discharging liquid is realized by providing a series of suitably shaped discharge openings or orifices along the length of the arm in conjunction with a discharge lip extending substantially or in effect tangentially from the lower side of the arm.

Other features have to do with the use of certain liquid spray spreaders in conjunction with the distributor arms.

Other features have to do with structural design and manufacturing characteristics of a distributor arm designed to meet certain require ments of hydraulic flow and of liquid distribution. Some such features are that the arm is composed of relatively simple plane sheet metal wall portions, that the arm is a welded longitudinal box-shape, and that the arm has a flattened flow cross-section diminishing continually from a maximum cross-section of its inner end portion to a minimum at the outer end.

According to still another feature each arm has at least two vertically superposed independent ow sections, the upper one of which becomes active with a corresponding rise in the hydraulic head of the liquid supply. Otherwise expressed, the arm is divided by a substantially horizontally extending partition into a lower and an upper longitudinal ilow section, with the result that normally at least the lower section will be liquid filled under a corresponding hydraulic head necessary for its proper hydraulic operation and consequently that that section will normally operate efliciently under proper hydraulic flow conditions although with a relatively low head available.

In one of a number of possible embodiments'the orifices of an upper longitudinal flow section of an arm are disposed each substantially vertically above a corresponding orice of the lower iiow section, the relationship being such that the liquid streamdischarging from an upper oriiice is directed downwardly and so that it will joinin a suitable manner the horizontally directed stream that leaves the lowervoriiice. Consequently in this embodiment the upper flow section has a wall portion overhanging .the lower fjlow section. sothat the streams issuing from a respective upper and a co-ordinated respective lower orifice may merge, the lower orifices being disposed at or near the at bottom of the lower flow section of the arm. A peculiarly effective fan-like lip element serves each pair of coordinated upper and lower orices as a spreader to produce a desired effective spray formation over a relatively wide range of loads.

The invention possesses other objects and feal tures of advantage, some of which with the fore- The novel features considered characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a'specic embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a distributor in which the arms Aare `subdivided into a plurality of longitudinal flow sections superposed one upon the other and having annular overflow weirs. l

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the distributor arm of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is the plan view of a two-arm rotary distributor, each arm of which has a lower ow section and an overhanging upper now section.

Fig. 4 is a side view of Fig. 3.

Fig. '5 is an enlarged cross-section of the distributor arm of Fig. 3 or 4 respectively.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged part-sectional plan view of the center portion of the distributor shown in Figs. 3 and 4 respectively. l

Fig. 'l is an end view of a distributor arm of Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 respectively, with end closure means.

Fig. 8 is a part-sectional view of a distributor arm similar in some respects in cross-section to that of Fig. 5, however, provided with individual spray forming elements or lips for individual oriiices or certain individual sets of orifices.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-section of the distributor arm of Fig. 8, showing the coordination of an upper orifice with a lower orice and a spray forming lip serving both.

Fig. 10, is an enlarged detailed front view of Fig. 9, showing a coordinated pair of upper and lower orifices with a spray forming lip for both,

and with means for controlling or adjusting the effective size of the oriiice.

In Figs. 1-7 other features of this invention are illustrated in a distributor in which each arm has a plurality of longitudinal flow sections which are superposed upon one another, and which become successively iilled and effective in discharging and spreading increasing amounts of liquid due to a corresponding rise in the level of the liquid supply.

'I'he distributor shown in Fig. 1 is mounted upon a foundation 31 having a central rising feed conduit Il, and it comprises a stationary hollow column 39 mounted and fixed upon the foundation 31 by way of a base member 40 and having vertically extending feed inlet slots 4i vof a height suilicient for the purpose hereinafter described.

Mounted for rotation upon and supported by the stationary hollow column 36 is the rotary part or rotor 42 of the distributor, comprising the central hollow or hub portion 43 which has functionally connected'therewith or bolted thereto a pair of symmetrically arranged horizontally extending distributor arms 44 and 45. As one embodiment each of these distributor arms is shown to have three .longitudinally extending flow sections 46, 41, 48 (see also Fig. 2) superposed one upon the other, each section being shown as of substantially horizontally flattened rectangular cross-section. Consequently the distributor arm in this embodiment is shown to be composed and preferably welded from flat sheet metal sections, such flat sections being particularly adapted from a manufacturing point of view to constitute an arm of outwardly continually decreasing cross-sectional flow area.

According to Fig. 2 these fiat sheet metal component sections comprise an angular main body portion or profile 49 which has welded to it a smaller angular profile 50 to constitute the lowermost longitudinal ilow section 46. Over this is welded a relatively smaller angular profile 5I defining the next higher longitudinal ilow section 41. 'I'his is topped by a still smaller welded connected angular profile 52 defining the third or topmost longitudinal iiow section 46.

Each of the iiow sections 46, 41, 46 has its series of liquid discharge orifices 46a, 41a, 48a, near the bottom, and at the trailing side of the arm, a protruding end portion of the-horizontal shank of the main angular profile 49 constitutes a spreader portion 49a, for the liquid that discharges from the respective orifices 46a, 41a, 46a. This spreader portion is shown to carry what may be called a 'doctor strip 54 similar in eil'ect and construction to the one described in connection with Figs. 2, 4 and 5 of the patent application Ser. No. 200,940.

In Fig. l the longitudinal fiow sections 46, 41,v

48 can be said to be defined by horizontally extending longitudinal divisional walls or partitions 55 and 56.l The lower partition 55 has a relatively lower weir portion 51 and the upper partition 56 a relatively higher weir portion 5l. Bothl i and under the respective hydraulic pressures determined by the height of the respective highest weir. A modified type of cross section of a distributor arm with longitudinal flow sections is 5 shown in Fig. 10. As in Fig. 7 this modified type is of a box-like construction comprising a horizontally flattened or rectangular lower flow section 59 and an upper flow section 60 partly overhanging the lower flow section at the trailing side thereof. Again this arm is composed of plane -sheet metal sections, it comprising the bottom portion 6I from the leading side of which rises a vertical wall portion 62 and shown to be bent from one piece with theportion 6I. The bottom portion and the wall portion together thus constituting the main body portion of the arm, there is built up the lower flow section 59 by vertical wall portion 63 at th'e trailing side of the arm and a horizontally extending divisional wall portion 64 incidentally also shown to be bent from one piece with the vertical wall portion 63. An overhanging wall portion 65, comprising an upwardly inclined portion 65a and a vertical portion 65h, and a horizontally extending top wall portion 65 complete the upper flow section 60. The lower flow section has a series of longitudinally spaced orifices 61 disposed at or near the bottom portion thereof, orifices B8 being provided in the overhanging wall portion 65a of the upper flow section of the arm. The bottom portion 6I of the arm has a trailing shelf-like continuation to serve as liquid spreader 69 for the streams issuing from the upper. as well as from the lower orifices, and itr has a flange connection 69a with the bottom portion 6I of the arm. Upon this spreader 69 is mounted a spray shaping doctor strip 10 similar to the one shown in Fig. 2. The cross-section of the arm shown in Fig. -10 has a proportionately smaller, although homol- 4, ogous end opening or end cross-section 1I as shown in Fig. '7 provided with a closure piece 13. In Figs. 8-10 there is illustrated a distributor arm of a similar type in cross-section as the one in Fig. 5, although provided with certain individual liquid spreaders 14. This arm again constitutes a lower and an upper flow section 15 and 16 respectively defined by a horizontally and longitudinally extending divisional wall 16a, the flow sections having orifices 11 and 18 respectiveo ly, an upper orifice registering vertically with the one below. Therefore a pair comprising an upper and a lower orifice is shown to be spaced from a neighboring pair a distance which it is desired to fill as nearly and evenly as possible by effecting a suitable spread of the liquid issuing from the orifices. For rthis purpose the individual spreaders 14 are substantially semi-circular or fan-like in plane view (see Fig. 8), upwardly convex in cross-section (see Fig. 9), and straight although slightly upwardly inclined in longitudinal section (see Fig. 9), an angle r of about 3 to 4 having been found to have a des' ed spreading eect upon the liquid,

The spreader 14 is further shown to have a downward vertical flange portion 19 whereby it is fastened to a similar vertical fiange portion 8G of the distributor arm, the connection being ef fected by bolts and nuts 8|, a slot 82 in the flange 19 of the spreader permitting lateral adjustment 7 thereof with respect to the orifice.

According to Fig. 9 it will be noted that the spreader 14 is laterally adjusted so that its center line does not register with the center line of the effective outflow area of the orifice, but is offset somewhat to the right, for instance, a distance p", that is to say, in the direction of flow in the arm, so as to compensate for a tendency of lateral vtotal width Ic'. -When the upper flow section 15 operates fully loaded or lled with liquid and under adequate hydraulic head there will be noted a further increment l to the left of the spray establishing a substantially symmetrical fan-shape of a total Width m, 20

According to Fig. 10 the orifices 11 and 18 are provided with adjustable plate members'11a and 18a. respectively for blanking off a part of the orifice openings.

The basic form of the distributor arm itself 25 according to this invention furthermore is characterized by a continually decreasing cross-sectional flow area designed in a preferred embodiment to establish substantially uniform flow velocity in the arm, which decrease of flow area 30 again is realized by the continuity of the tapering shape of the arm. Otherwise expressed this means that there is no unnecessary dead water load being carried by the arm and consequently no unnecessary dead material weight, that might 35 undesirably increase the total operating Weight of' the arm. Another advantage of such a continuous tapering configuration is that there is no hydraulic head loss of the type that would accrue from a more sudden change from a larger 40 to a smaller cross-sectional flow area.

structurally the tapering volume of the arm is realized by establishing what might be called a basically box shaped form of the arm, and composing it of plane sheet metal sections to 45 constitute the'structural elements, and which elements may be suitably `ioined together by welding. Sheet metal thus constituting the starting material in the construction of the arm, readily lends itself to being out to the proper 50 desired plane or angular shapes andthese component shapes or potential Wall portions of the arm can be chosen to be of a minimum desirable and commercially obtainable sheet metal thickness or gauge number, and they can be welded 55 together so that the resulting arm structure will be of minimum weight of itself, will require a minimum of dead water load, will operate at a minimum head required and with minimum losses of a certain kind, and due to its minimum 30 total operating weight it will readily respond to the hydraulic driving impulses available.

With respect to the longitudinal flow sections such as provided in distributor arms of the character shown, for instance, in Figs. 2, 5 and 9, it 05 will be noted that a Wide range of operation is feasible under relatively small hydraulic head requirements. In other words, where an arm such as the one shown in Fig. 9 will operate, say, au han load the liquid win nu oniy the 7 lower flow section of the arm, requiring only a slight superhead above the divisional wall 16a to cause the arm to function properly with respect to hydraulic reaction. During a further increase of the load, the lower flow section keeps 75 on functioning properly by itself although beneilting by the increment of head. while the upper now section is nlling up. and again due 'to the fiatness of cross-section the upper flow section 5 of'itselfwillrequirebutlittlesuperheadtocauseY it to fimction under proper hydraulic conditions.

With respect to the relative great length of the overflow weirs Il and Il (see Fig. 1) head loss through weir resistance is also reduced to a 1i) minimum.

With respect to Fig. in particular, it will be noted that the upper ilow section 16 has a est available head as indicated by the dimensionv sJ It will alsok be noted that the depressed portion I9 of the upper flow section is apt to ll up quickly-and thus to distribute liquid quickly to all orifices of the upper series, whereupon this flow section will gradually ll up and eventually function Vunder the hydraulic pressure deilned by a Weir portionadmitting the liquid thereto.

The fact that the distributor arm according to 30 one feature is basically designed to establish a uniform flow velocity therein, will permit making an approximate computation -of the required orifice area required along the arm. In addition, such orifice area can be properly adjusted and 35 brought into line with the exact requirements as observed in actual operation of the distributor by using the adjustable plate elements or blinders Ila and 18a to blank off as much of the area as is desirable for optimum functioning of the 40 arm and for the purpose of even distribution there-through of the liquid. According to Fig. 10 such blanking oil or adjustment of the orice area can be followed up by a corresponding lateral adjustment of the individual spreader ele- -45 ments for the purpose of compensating for the tendency of lateral outward drift of the sprays and for rectifying the direction of the sprays to be as nearly as possible normal to the longitudinal axis of the spray arm.

50 I claim:

l. A liquid distributor of the rotary reaction driven type, in which the rotary member comprises a hollow hub portion, a liquid conducting distributing arm extending from said hub por-` aasaasv tion and adapted to travel over a illter bed. said arm comprising at least two substantially co-extensive-longitudinal flow sections, each section having a series of longitudinally spaced oriilces for distributing the liquid over the filter, and s weir overflow means disposed at the inner end of the arm and eifectiveto functionally separate said ilow sections in such a manner as to dei'lne a liquid level corresponding to a hydraulic head below which one of said ilow sections functions 1o in distributing liquid and imparting driving reaction to said arm, and above which another of said flow sections becomes effective in carrying and distributing liquid, said weir means comprising an annular weir structure extending within l!! said hub portion.

2. A liquid distributor of the rotary reaction driven type. comprising a 'liquid conducting distributing arm adapted to travel over a illter bed and having a substantially horizontally extending 20 dividing wall to define an upper and a lower longitudinal flow section in the arm, each section having a series of longitudinally spaced orifices adapted to emit liquid sprays to set up reactive driving forces for said arm and to distribute the liquid over the filter bed, overflow means disposed at the inner end of the arm and with respect to said ilow sections in a manner to de- Y ne a liquid level corresponding to a hydraulic head at which said upper flow section will become eiective due to liquid overiiowing said overflow means, said ilow sections being arranged so that the upper flow section overhan'gs the lower flow section and has its orifices disposed so as to emit sprays at an angle with respect to horizontally directed sprays issuing from the orces of the lower section, spray forming means associated with the lower orifices for consolidatlng sprays from both the upper and the lower series of orifices, whereby the joint sprays are 40 directed initially substantially horizontally away from the distributor arm.

3. A liquid distributor according to claim 2, in which the distributor arm is of substantially rectangular cross-section, and in which the overhanging portion of the upper longitudinal ilow section comprises a substantially inclined overhanging wall portion from which the liquid streams ilow at a downward angle, and in which the spray forming means comprise a fan-shaped spray guide lip for joining the interposed streams from an upper and a lower orice.

NELS B. LUND. 

